Türkiye has marked the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Helsinki Accords (or Final Act), the founding document of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

“Signed in 1975 within the process of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which was initiated during the Cold War to reduce tensions and disputes between opposing blocs, the Helsinki Final Act laid the foundations of a security architecture based on dialogue and cooperation in a broad region spanning across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian geographies, establishing core principles remaining relevant today,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Türkiye has backed the process from the beginning as an original signatory of the Helsinki Accords, said the ministry.

“As such, it has not only reaffirmed its commitment to regional peace and stability, but also actively contributed to the development of the European security architecture based on the principles of international law,” according to the ministry.

The statement underlined that Türkiye has maintained its commitment since the conference transitioned into the OSCE in 1994.

“Türkiye continues to actively contribute to the OSCE, which is the largest regional security forum based on a comprehensive security approach encompassing politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions,” it said.

Recognising the OSCE as a key pillar of peace and stability across a wide region, Türkiye actively supports efforts to improve the organisation’s effectiveness and operations, the statement said.

“Going forward, Türkiye will resolutely continue to pursue active diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation in support of multilateralism and will remain committed to contributing to stability and peace in the OSCE region, despite all the challenges faced today.”